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His Education.

In 400 B. C.—when Plato was twenty-nine years old, Isokrates thirty-six, and Lysias fifty-nine (or, according to the modern view of his birth-date, forty-four at most1), Isaeos was probably about twenty. That subtle and eager mind, destined to a narrow field, may well have had its early place in the most liberal converse that Athens could afford2. But the only master to whom Isaeos is given as pupil by a tradition at once definite and trustworthy is Isokrates. Their intercourse may be referred to

Isokrates.

the years 393—390, when Isokrates was just beginning to teach, or when Isaeos was about to enter on
his own career as a writer of speeches for the lawcourts. Both these facts—that the teacher's manner was not matured, and that the discipleship must have been comparatively short—may help to explain why Isaeos kept so few traces of Isokratic expression. As we shall see, however, the Isokratic influence on Isaeos may clearly be traced in another province—in his handling of subject-matter3. Isokrates asserts that, of all the numerous writers of speeches for the courts, no one was ever honoured with pupils4. If Isaeos had been the pupil of Lysias, at least one

Lysias.

notable exception would have been established. It is worth observing, however, that the best authority speaks of Isaeos, not as the scholar, but as the student of Lysias; and this is undoubtedly the true account5.

3 The authorities for Isaeos having been the pupil of Isokrates are Hermippos (a strong witness) in his book on the disciples of Isokrates (Harpokr. s. v.Ἰσαι_ος, Dionys. Isae. 1): [Plut.] vit. Demosth.,—in vit. Isaei the text is doubtful; and Suid. s. v.Δημοσθένης.—Schäfer (I. 255) questions the tradition, noticing the dubious ὡςδέτινέςφασι in [Plut.] vit. Isocr.—Benseler (p. 192), applying the hiatus-test, puts the discipleship only a little before 360, when Isaeos was past 50: but, as we shall see below, that test breaks down.

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